LED TV vs.

LCD TV
Reviewer: Phil Connor

LED TV is a bit of a misnomer but as manufacturers and retailers continue to use the term, it makes it's
way into the public conscience and is worth deliberating on the differenc es. LED televisions are really just
LCD televisions that use LE D lights for back lighting instead of the flourescent CFL lighting traditionally
used for LCDs. Both employ the liquid crystal diode (LCD) technology front panel containing the “twisting
crystals” which define LCD technology.

LED TVs feature two main forms of back lighting, edge lighting and local dimming. Edge lighting has
LEDs around the edge of the panel and this allows for extremely thin construction. Lately, through
advancements in LE D (light emitting diode) technology these lights can be manufactured in very small
sizes so even local dimming back lighting LE D TVs can have a very thin depth. Loc al dimming
backlighting features banks of LED lights behind the panel and these banks can be controlled to lower the
amount of back lighting in dark areas of the screen and raise it in bright areas for higher contrast and
better blacks. This is accomplished through varying features options in the TV. One rec ent example had
an option to turn the local dimming option on or off. We did notice an improvement in black levels with the
feature on.

PICTURE CONSIDERATIONS

CONTRAST / BLACK LEVELS

LCD VS LED TV RATINGS COMPARISON
Manufacturer / Model Picture Features Value Overall
Sam sung LN55C650 LCD TV 92 87 97 92/100
LG 55L E5500 L ED TV 89.5 94 89 91/100
LG 47L E8500 L ED TV 90.5 94 89 91/100
Sony KDL-52EX700 L ED TV 91 92 88 90.5/100
Sam sung LN32C350 LCD TV 89 86 95 89.75/100
Sam sung UN55C7000 L ED TV 91 94 83 89.75/100
Sony KDL-46EX500 LCD TV 87 80 92 86.5/100
Vizio VF552XVT L ED TV 82 92 89 86.25/100

LCD panels create dark tones by blocking the backlight passing through the panel, this method of
displaying black has been a problem inherent in the technology. Local dimming LED back lighting
presents a solution to this problem by dimming the back light in areas where the screen should be dark.
Edge lit LED will have bright er whites than most flourescent back lit LCDs but do not have the control
over the backlighting like local dimming TVs do.

This comparison has become muddied lately with some LCD TVs showing very concentrat ed black levels.
Local dimming LE D TVs have been the best in the past.
ADVANTAGE: 1st Local dimming LE D TV technology has an advant age in both contrast and black
levels. 2nd Some recent LCD TVs. 3rd Edge Lit LED TVs

COLOR ACCURACY

With white LED backlights the difference bet ween the two technologies isn't very significant, but wit h RGB
colored lights or a color wheel to affect the backlight color the LE D TVs have an advant age in displaying
realistic color.

ADVANTAGE: White backlight LED TVs and LCD TVs with flourescent backlight are nearly equal in
color accuracy. Colored backlight LED TVs trump both.

VIEWING ANGLES

TOP 10 BEST SELLING LCD TVS

1 Samsung UN46C7000
2 Sony KDL-55E X710
3 Samsung UN46C6500
4 LG 47LE5400
5 Samsung LN46C630
6 LG 42LD550
7 Samsung LN32C450
8 Sony KDL-46E X500
9 Sharp LC46LE810
10 LG 47LE5500
LAST UPDATE:
MARCH 2011

Answers to this question will change frequently. What seems to have the greatest impact now on the
viewing angle topic is the quality of the clear glass panel on the front of either LCDs or LE D TVs. The
thicker, and higher quality this glass panel, the better the viewing angle and somewhat detrimentally the
wors e the glare. Anti glare technologies do prevent glare but the inhibit picture dept h and viewing angles.
Lately we have viewed some LCD TVs with very good viewing angles and picture depth though this was
never previously the case. We have also viewed very expensive thin edge lit LED TVs with poor viewing
angles showing contrast and black level degradation at a mere 30 degrees off center.

Local dimming LE D TVs will naturally perform better with the light coming from directly behind the screen.

ADVANTAGE: Local dimming LED TV, then LCD TV, then Edge Lit LED TV. The big variable in all 3
is the quality of the front glass panel which adds depth, good viewing angles and glare. Anti glare screens
will always have less depth and poorer viewing angles.

FAST-MOVING VIDEO PLAYBACK

Displaying fast moving video is a function of the response time and refresh rate in LCD and LE D
televisions. The type of backlighting in the TV has no effect on the reproduction of fast moving video. You
will want to compare res ponse times and refresh rates when making a purchas e decision. The new
120Hz, 240Hz, and 480Hz rate feat ures all act about the same in our ex perience depending more on the
manufacturer than the stated Hz rate in effectiveness.

ADVANTAGE: Even

FUNCTIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

GAMING

The biggest difference here will be unrelated to the technology employed and more dependent upon
whet her or not the TV has a gaming mode that cuts down on the amount of picture proc essing in the TV.
Without the game mode there can be significant input lag with the TV processing not able to keep up with
the speed of the game. One slight advantage that LE D TVs might have here is that LED TVs have higher
feature sets due to their higher costs and therefore will more often include the Game mode.

ADVANTAGE: Even.

LONGEVITY

Most manufacturers are claiming approximat ely 100,000 hours lifetime for their televisions. LED backlit
televisions are brand new and don't have much of a track record but LED lights are typically long lived.
Fluorescent CFL backlighting, while lasting a long time will naturally have white balance color changes as
the fluorescent lighting ages. CFL fluorescent backlighting will be more unstable. This will degrade the
color accuracy and rendition of the TV.

ADVANTAGE: LED televisions do not have much history.

LED & LCD TVS RECOMM ENDED BY SI ZE

 15" LCD TV 26" LCD TV 42" LCD TV

19" LCD TV 32" LCD TV 46" LCD TV

20" LCD TV 37" LCD TV 52" LCD TV

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

PRODUCTION SIZE AND COST

LED backlight televisions are currently available in sizes ranging from 46 inches to 70 inches. Traditional
LCD televisions are available in sizes as small as 15 inches and as large as 65 inches. When comparing
LED TVs and traditional LCDs in the same size the LED backlit model will be more expensive due to the
higher cost of the LE D lighting system. Fluorescent CFL lighting is more cost efficient.

ADVANTAGE: LCD TVs due to lower cost CFL fluorescent back lighting

POWER CONSUMPTION

The local dimming LE D TVs we've come across have used quite a bit more power than a traditional LCD
TV in the same screen size. This type of LE D television approac hes plasma dis plays in power usage. The
edge lit LED televisions use less power than an LCD o f the same size.

ADVANTAGE: 1st: Edge lit LED, 2nd LCD TV (flourescent), 3rd: Local dimming LED.

TOP 10 LCD TVS COMPARE ALL TV RATINGS TOP 10 PLASMA TVS